Culture Jamming: New Subversive Signs of Our Times

Street signs are boring. They pepper the landscape and add just a little bit more monotony to our lives. Thankfully, some homegrown artists and fans of culture jamming decided to mix it up a bit, and add some spice to an otherwise dull aspect of our daily commute.

What’s more fun than deer crossing signs? Monster crossing signs. Deer with wings. Dinosaurs. Take your pick, and some artist out there has had fun tweaking this old favorite into something a bit more exciting.

There have been an increasing number of news stories about electronic construction signs being hacked by mischievous hoodlums. While it may not be in the best interest for the state, it certainly makes the highway trek a bit more interesting.

One of the dangers of putting up street signs with simple text, is that they can be manipulated. “Stop war” seems to be a favorite, but some culture jammers have a bit more creativity, and a love of wizards.

It’s easy to bring one’s favorite childhood stories to life by adding a few elements to signs that would otherwise go unnoticed. Extra points for making the sign seem like it was always meant to be that way.